Carton holding and waxing means



D 7 1943. T. R. JAMES I2,336,401

CARTON HOLDING AND WAXING -MEANS OriginalV Filed Oct. 12, 1940 PatentedQec. 7, 1943 2,336,401 CARTON HOLDING AND WAXING MEANS Thomas R. James,Minneapolis, Minn., assigner to General Mills, Inc., a corporation ofDela- Waffe Original application October 12, 1940, Serial No. 360,875.Divided and this application May 31, 1941, Serial No. 396,206

1 claim. (ci. sii-6o) This is a division of my application SerialNo.360,875, led'October 12, 1940.

An object of this invention is the provision of means for holding acarton while wax is sprinkled thereon and for withdrawing the holdingmeans from the carton after the wax coating is set without injuring thecoating.

Another object is to provide suitable means for gripping each carton forrotation as well as means for insuring the registration of each cartonin its gripping means in a suitable waxing machine.

These and other objects as will hereinafter appear, are accomplished bythis invention which is fully described in the following speciiicationand shown in the accompanying drawing in which Figure 1 is a partialvertical sectional view showing an embodiment of my invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional view similar to Fig. 1 but showing theparts in more detail; and

Fig. 3 is a partial enlarged detail of one of the pins shown contactinga carton.

In portions of a waxing machine as illustrated, endless chains 1,0, 1|slide on angle irons |86 which are supported on the main frame and passaround sprockets (not shown) and carry suitable bearings 12, 13,preferably loi the universal bali type as shown in Fig. 2, in which aresuitably journalled a series of gripper assemblies or units 80. Eachgripper unit is adapted to grip and hold a carton C to be waxed. Thiscarton is preferably of an elongated type having end flaps 8|, B2 and83, the latter being coated with glue on its under side so that whenpressed down it will iirmly adhere to the flaps 8| and 82. Much dependsupon the proper closing and sealing of these cartons so as to get asubstantially moisture-proof package after it has been waxed. The endsof these cartons, Where pressure is applied for gripping the same,consist of a plurality of overlapping flaps which aid materially intaking the necessary end pressure and also for reducing any danger or' apoor seal occurring where the points of the grippers contact the carton.

The gripping of the ends of this carton, which is preferably much longerthan its other two dimensions, is accomplished by means of stationarypins 90, preferably four in number, and carried by a plate 9| secured tothe frame of the gripper unit as by means of screws 92. This gripperunit has aligned end portions 93 and 94 connected by an off-set integralportion 95 which provides a suitable space 96 for the reably mountedtherein is a short shaft |00 on the inner end of which is mounted aplate |0| which carries pins |02 `similar to the pins 90. The plate I0|is pressed inwardly by means of a compression spring |03 while the outerend of the shaft |00 carries a cam follower |04 which engages astationary cam |50 as the gripper unit moves through the machine towithdraw the pins |02 for the insertion of the cartridge after which thespring |03 returns the pins so as to grip the cartridge and to hold itduring the waxing operation.

The pins 90 of Fig. 2 are shown in detail in Fig. 3 and are preferablymade with a screw threaded portion ||0 with a hollow center terminatingin the hollow tapered end ||2. A central pin ||3, preferably aphonograph needle, is held therein by means of a driving t and thisterminates in a tapered point ||4 which makes contact with the end ofthe carton with suiiicient pressure to depress the carton and perhaps topierce it slightly at the point C.

Each gripper assembly is rotated by means of a. gear |41 keyed on theend portion 94 which meshes with a stationary rack (not shown). thepoint where the section (Fig. 1) is taken,`a cam follower roller |45iournaled on a pin (not shown) on the side of the gear |41 and lies in acam groove |48 in the horizontal cam |49.,

This cam terminates near the point where the stationary rack begins soas to insure the unit remaining in the desired position up to the timethe gear |41 engages the rack.

Thus, the gripper unit journa1ed at its ends in the parallel chainsprovides means for han-l Changes, therefore, may be madenalled in saidchains and having an odset U- ins one of said plates axially in saidmember shaped central portion adapted to hold a carton with respect tothe other to cause said pinsto in axial alignment with the journals andhavgrip the ends of a carton or to release the same, ing spaced axialplates, one of which is slidand means for rotating the member about itsably movable with respect to the other plate, 5 longitudinal axis t0rotate the carton.

each plate having a plurality of pins thereon s to grip the ends of acarton, means for mov- 'THOMAS R. JAMES.

